Ten Crescent Moons (Moonquest) Read Online Free

them," she replied. "We will be at his mercy until the
next morn. I cannot endure the thought."
    Adalginza
quickly stepped to Bruna's side, and took her arm in a silent signal to follow
with the tray.
    Then the
lady of the Fifth House moved slyly to the captain's side. "If you accept
my offering right now, sir, then you will be bound to refuse theirs."
    "Excellent
observation," Kalos said. He turned to his mother. "Shall we?"
    In the sight
of the approaching town delegation, the three newcomers reached for the caps of
juice and began munching the wafers.
    Adalginza
joined them, barely noticing the sweet red substance that tickled her tongue.
    The taste of
victory was sweeter by far.

 
2
     
    Adalginza
donned a plain, fiber coverall to help Bruna with a last-minute, frantic
cleansing of the abode to make it more presentable for guests.
    She took one
last swipe at a fingerprint-smudged metal vase, then raced up the stone
stairway to the second level sleep room. There, Bruna drew Adalginza's bath and
helped her scrub clean her long locks of glistening black hair.
    "Why
was there not better intelligence about Captain Kalos and his preferences?"
Adalginza demanded. "If I had known more about him, we would have done
this differently. I could have posed as a member of a different Crescent House.
I could have been a woman he would respect."
    She stepped,
dripping and naked, from the silver oval basin into the thick cloth wrap that
Bruna held ready for her.
    "No
one expected the new captain of the knights to be from the House of the Ninth
Crescent Moon," Bruna replied sullenly. "Dry your hair, and I will
braid it for you. Hurry. There is not much time left before the welcoming meal
begins."
    "I
have never met anyone from the Ninth House before." Adalgniza furiously
ran the cloth through her hair. "I know nothing about these people. Tell
me. Why are they so ill-mannered?"
    Bruna
shrugged. "They are mainly scholars. This is all I know."
    "Then why
are these people in the frontier? It is dangerous for them here."
    "I
don't know. Our spies have never mentioned any prominent officers of the
Knights of the Crescent Sword originating from the Ninth House."
    "It is
most distressing to lack adequate information." Adalginza sat on a wooden
stool, and winced as Bruna began yanking on her hair. "This plan was ill
conceived."
     "It
was my plan, and I saw no reason to send spies to the Ninth House,"
Bruna answered defensively. "Warrior leaders from the Prime Continent are
almost always from the Fifth House. This is why we chose this identity for you.
Besides, the captain originally designated for this post in Sola Re was from
the Fifth House. Plans must have changed."
    "Then why
did we not know of this change in plans?" Adalginza demanded.
    "You
heard what Captain Kalos said. He requested this assignment, and so he was sent
instead. It happened without our knowledge."
    "Most
infuriating. Ow!" Adalginza grabbed Bruna's hand briefly to halt her rough
braiding. "Gentle now."
    "Had
Captain Kalos been from the Fifth House, you would have instantly been claimed
as a prize and bedded by now," Bruna muttered. "Captain Kalos should
have claimed you anyway, no matter what House he was from."
    "It is
not my fault!" Adalginza now was the one who sounded defensive. As well as
childish. "You saw what happened. I had to force him to accept my
invitation. So now what do I do?"
    Bruna went
silent for a moment, before speaking thoughtfully.
    "He is about
to be betrothed, but not yet bonded to a woman. I do know this much. With men
of the Ninth House, bonding is usually permanent. Not betrothal, though. So you
still have a chance."
    "Maybe.
But this captain is different. He seems a — man of his word."
    "No
Knight of the Crescent Sword can possibly be a man of his word."
    From the
nearby dressing table, Bruna selected a translucent purple bottle with an
attached spray. She aimed it like a weapon in Adalginza's direction, and held
down her forefinger.
    A